Ukraine should meet Maastricht, Copenhagen criteria to join EU - Poroshenko
KYIV. June 1 (Interfax) - To join the European Union Ukraine should meet the terms of the EU Treaty (Maastricht Treaty) and the Copenhagen criteria for candidate EU members, Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko said at a meeting with school self-administration leaders on the occasion of Children's Day on Monday.
These terms and criteria involve the level of education, industry, GDP (Gross Domestic Product), democracy, freedom, fight against corruption, and the independence of the judiciary, the president's press office said.
The Ukrainians have demonstrated a clear desire for EU integration and changed the Europeans' attitude towards Ukraine's membership prospects, Poroshenko said.
"When the Ukrainians took to the streets in November 2013, it was not to demand higher salaries or lower taxes - they wanted their European future. I think very few countries in Europe fought in this way for their future and paid such a big price as Ukraine did," he said.